Sponsored by Arnold Defense www.arnolddefense.com
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11 Oct 21. Multiple Arnold Defense rocket launchers on display at AUSA 2021. Arnold Defense, the St. Louis based manufacturer of 2.75-inch rocket launchers, had a number of variants of their world-renowned rocket launchers on display at this year’s Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exhibition, taking place 11-13 October 2021, in Washington DC.
Arnold Defense will be showcasing three rocket launcher systems at the event. The LAND-LGR4 ‘FLETCHER’ land-based launcher will be displayed in the Kongsberg booth (2147) mounted on their Protector RWS. The 23-round MLHS will be displayed in the BAE Systems booth (1210/1220) mounted on a ‘common deck’ platform from MSI Defense Solutions. Being shown in public for the first time is a prototype concept demonstrator 3-round air launcher named the “Trident” which can be seen in the Moog booth (7601) mounted on their Lightweight Dual Rail Launcher (DRL). The new Trident launcher is in development, but following a planned future test program, it is expected to deliver the following capability benefits: utilizes existing missile launcher interface for mounting and system control of Laser Guided Rockets (LGRs); significant weight saving over other launcher variants; no software changes to existing Fire Control required; Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) adaptation for digital control of analog rockets (Moog Trident Interface Unit- TIU); common missile interface across multiple platforms for maximum LGR strike capability; each Trident carries up to three (3) LGRs, providing a lethal weapons load of guided rockets.
Arnold Defense is the world’s largest supplier of rocket launchers for military aircraft, vessels and vehicles; they have manufactured more than 1.2 m 2.75-inch (70mm) rocket launchers since 1961 for the U.S. Armed Forces and a number of NATO customers. They design and manufacture rocket launchers that can be customized for any size, weight, capacity, or form factor for platforms in the air, on the ground or at sea.
Arnold’s core products include the 7-round M260 and 19-round M261 commonly used by U.S. Army helicopters; the thermal coated 7-round LAU-68 variants and LAU-61 Digital Rocket Launcher used by the U.S. Navy; and the 7-round LAU-131 and SUU-25 flare dispenser used by the U.S. Air Force. For land or sea-based operations, Arnold offers the FLETCHER, a 4-round laser target designated rocket launcher and the MLHS 23-round launcher. Arnold Defense first launched the revolutionary FLETCHER system at DSEi in 2017 and announced a new capability development program for FLETCHER at DSEi in September 2021.
Doug Wallace, President at Arnold Defense said: “We’re pleased to be displaying a number of variants of our air and land-based launchers at AUSA, working in collaboration with our partners BAE Systems, Kongsberg, Moog and MSI Defense Solutions.” He added: “being seen for the first time is our prototype ‘Trident’ 3-round air launcher that is currently in development, aiming to deliver significant capability enhancements to the warfighter”.
13 Oct 21. Partner 2021: Serbia integrates Russian unmanned weapon stations on Lazar III A1 ACVs. Serbia’s Yugoimport has integrated Russian-designed 32V01 and AU-220M remotely operated weapon stations (ROWS) on to its new Lazar III A1 family of armoured combat vehicles (ACVs). The modified platforms were unveiled at the Partner 2021 international defence show in Belgrade, Serbia, between 11 and 14 October. The Lazar III A1 with the 32V01 ROWS carries a modification of the module with a Shipunov 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon, a Kalashnikov PKTM 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun, and six Tucha-family smoke dischargers in two banks on either side of the turret. The armament suite enables the vehicle to engage targets at distances of up to 4,000 m via its main weapon. The platform produces a top speed of 110 km/h, has a turning radius of 11.5 m, and can cross a 2 m trench or a 1.6 m water obstacle. The vehicle has also retained its organic troop-carrying capacity. Serbia also unveiled the Lazanski wheeled ACV, which features scalable armour protection, at STANAG Level 4. The vehicle weighs between 26 and 36 tonnes and measures 8 m long, 3.2 m wide, and 3.6 m high. It can transport up to 13 servicemen. The vehicle is armed with the AU-220M weapon station integrating a 57 mm automatic cannon, a PKTM machine gun, and six ready-use Tucha smoke dischargers. A Yugoimport representative told Janes at the show that the 32V01 was selected because of its high weight-to-firepower ratio and a low silhouette, while high firepower and the capability to engage lightweight targets on the battlefield was behind the selection of the AU-220M. (Source: Jane’s)
13 Oct 21. Saab positions itself for IAM with industrial tie-up. Saab teams with a US manufacturing partner to pursue Individual Assault Munition requirement. Saab announced during the AUSA 2021 exhibition in Washington DC on 11-13 October that it has signed an exclusive strategic teaming agreement with precision ordnance specialist Action Manufacturing Company, to offer US domestic production of the proposed Saab solution for the US Army Individual Assault Munition (IAM) programme.
Action Manufacturing will manufacture and produce the weapon at two sites in Pennsylvania.
‘This decision to offer US production is part Saab’s international growth strategy and aligns with other decisions for domestic production in the US market, as with the aerospace sector for T-7A and in the Surveillance Radar sector with AN/SPS-77 [Sea Giraffe],’ Saab noted in a statement.
The Swedish company is offering its M136/AT4 shoulder-fired weapon — used by the US Army since the 1980s — for the IAM requirement. The US Army began the IAM initiative in the 2010s as a rationalisation effort under its Force 2025 reform programme. It requires a shoulder-launched weapon that weighs 4.5-6.8kg, is up to 40 inches (101.6cm) long and can be fired in confined environments. (Source: Shephard)
13 Oct 21. USAF’s Eglin test squadron releases GBU-72 Penetrator bomb for first time. The test series was performed by the USAF’s 40th Flight Test Squadron unit. The US Air Force’s 96th Test Wing F-15E strike fighter completed a series of three tests on 7 October with the GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator dropped at 35,000ft over the Eglin Air Force Base range.
According to a press statement by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), the release of the 5,000lb GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator bomb marks the end of a test series. The test series is planned by the 780th Test Squadron and performed by the USAF’s 40th Flight Test Squadron (FTS) unit. It began on 23 July and marked the first time the 5,000lb bomb was loaded, flown and released. These tests demonstrated that the weapon could be safely released from the aircraft. The tests also validated a modified 2,000lb joint-direct-attack-munition tail kit’s capability to control and navigate a 5,000lb weapon system.
GBU-72 flight and ground test efforts 780th TS Programming Engineer Ronald Forch said: “Test series of this magnitude are never successful, overall, because of just a single person or organisation.
“They are ultimately successful because the test engineer is able to perform a role very similar to that of a symphony conductor guiding the performance of a series of consecutive miracles, none any more important than the other.”
Designed for both fighter and bomber aircraft, the GBU-72 development sought to overcome ‘hardened deeply buried target’.
Next year, the GBU-72 programme will move to further JDAM integration test flights as well as developmental and operational testing. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
12 Oct 21. Archer completes US Army shoot-off evaluation. Archer is a fully automated mobile weapon system that provides highly responsive and versatile fire support to troops in combat.
In analysing whether to add a wheeled capability to its arsenal, the US Army conducted a shoot-off evaluation with the BAE Systems 155mm Archer wheeled howitzer system.
The company announced on 11 October that the system successfully completed testing at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.
Archer is a fully automated mobile weapon system that provides highly responsive and versatile fire support to troops in combat. In the evaluation, it fired about 450 rounds, including bursts of six to 12 rounds, and up to as many as eight rounds per minute, during various tests under different conditions.
The shoot-off included charge compatibility with US Army rounds; soldier training and testing; mobility; performance against identified requirements; an assessment of the integrated digital fire control on Archer; and maintenance evaluation.
Archer can initiate fire within 30 seconds of receiving an order and depart in the same amount of time, according to BAE Systems.
Soldiers can operate and fire Archer while remaining in the armoured cabin through its fully automated fire and ammunition loading system. Its magazine carries 21 rounds and can fire all of them in less than three minutes.
Archer also can fire the precision Bonus anti-armour munition up to 35km, conventional munitions up to 40km and currently fielded precision-guided munitions (such as Excalibur) beyond 50km.
According to Mark Signorelli, VP of business development at BAE Systems, Archer can operate effectively in high temperatures as well as in Arctic conditions.
He explained that the howitzer is already in service with the Swedish Army, and in the US Army tests it was operated at 50 degrees Celsius.
Signorelli stressed that Archer performed very well in demonstrating its unique capabilities as part of the shoot-off, adding that it is also a candidate for a ‘number of international programmes’, such as the Mobile Fires Platform in the UK and the Swiss mobile howitzer competition.
Stefan Löfström, director for business development at BAE Systems Bofors, claimed that Archer is the most advanced wheeled artillery system in service today by offering ‘a unique combination of firepower, survivability, mobility and flexibility’. (Source: Shephard)
13 Oct 21. Bushmaster XM913 to equip OMFV tender winner. At AUSA 2021, Shephard spoke to Northrop Grumman about its 50mm XM913 chain gun. The Northrop Grumman Bushmaster family comprises an array of chain guns and automatic cannons. The first firings of the 50mm XM913 chain gun took place in 2019 at the Big Sandy test range in Arizona. In 2021 the XM913 was unveiled for the first time at AUSA and it was recently selected to equip the winning vehicle in the US Army’s OMFV competition. In this video, Shephard speaks to Northrop Grumman to find out more about the capabilities of the XM913 and how it has evolved since its first public appearance. (Source: Shephard)
12 Oct 21. US Army puts Stryker’s new 30mm cannon to the test. The U.S. Army is working to refine the performance of its new Medium Caliber Weapon System — a 30mm, unmanned turreted auto-cannon on a Stryker combat vehicle — through risk management testing and soldier evaluation ahead of production, according to Brig. Gen. Glenn Dean, program executive officer for ground combat systems. The service awarded a contract to Oshkosh Defense in June to build the system on the Stryker. Oshkosh beat out two other competitors: a General Dynamics Land Systems-Kongsberg Defense team and a Leonardo DRS-Moog team. The first delivery order, valued at about $130 m, covers 91 vehicles. In August, the Army ordered 83 more, in a deal worth $99m, to outfit another brigade combat team. The first unit to receive the MCWS Strykers will be the I-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. The Army expects to complete fielding to that unit by December 2023. The service opted to outfit three out of its six brigades equipped with Double V-Hull A1 Strykers with 30mm guns, following an Army Requirements Oversight Council that reviewed the performance of a rapidly fielded 30mm Stryker Dragoon system urgently built to support the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Europe. The Army is conducting risk management testing on the new system to accelerate the competitive process, Dean told Defense News in a recent interview ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference. The testing “makes it sound like, oh, we have all kinds of problems,” Dean said, but “we are running the gamut of performance tests: It’s everything from weapon accuracy to system reliability to durability and automotive performance. So we are under a normal course of duties in a sort of accelerated program here.” The Army is generating a lot of cycles of tests, which includes thousands of rounds fired and thousands of miles, Dean said.
“Had we done our normal number of cycles of testing, the competition would have taken us about 18 months,” he added. (Source: Defense News)
14 Oct 21. Egyptian Air Force F-16s, Mirage 2000s fitted with Al Tariq PGMs. The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) has acquired Denel-designed Al Tariq precision guided munitions (PGMs) and is now deploying them on its Mirage 2000 and F-16 Fighting Falcon combat jets. Mirage 2000s were first seen carrying Al Tariq weapons during the Qader 2021 exercise at the beginning of July. This week, the Egyptian military released a video marking Air Force Day celebrations (held on 14 October every year), showing two F-16C Block 52s carrying Al Tariqs. These are some of the most modern F-16s in the EAF’s inventory, having been delivered less than a decade ago. The United Arab Emirates’ Tawazun Dynamics is believed to have been responsible for supplying and integrating the Al Tariq onto the Egyptian aircraft. The Al Tariq started life as the Denel Dynamics Umbani (Lightning) guided bomb system, which is a kit that can be integrated with any Mk 81, Mk 82, Mk 83 and Mk 84 bomb to turn it into a precision weapon. It has a terminal accuracy of 3 metres circular error probable (half of the weapons land within that distance of the aim point) using laser target-designation or an imaging infra-red seeker, a range of 40 km (depending on release height) or 120 km using the optional fold-out wing kit and up to 200 km with the optional rocket motor. The system is essentially wireless, using a tablet computer-like display and programming unit mounted in the cockpit to enable the pilot or weapons officer to programme target details and the attack profile into a weapon mounted on an ordinary dumb pylon, making integration onto aircraft a relatively simple affair. The Umbani was first test dropped off a South African Air Force Hawk in 2011 and then became the first product (the Al-Tariq) of a joint venture between Denel Dynamics (49%) and Tawazun (51%). Tawazun Dynamics supplied the weapon to the UAE Air Force, where it equips its Mirage 2000s and Hawks. It is believed to have been used in combat in Yemen. Tawazun became Barij Dynamics in 2018 and in November 2019, Barij became Al Tariq when it was consolidated along with 25 other UAE defence entities under the Edge group. The Al Tariq weapon is available in two main variants: the Al Tariq S (40 km range) and the Al Tariq LR (120 km range) – which have different seekers, payload sizes and wing kit options as well as multiple configurations. There are three main guidance configurations: accuracy with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is approximately 10 metres CEP (circular error probable); with GNSS semi-active laser it is three metres CEP, and with GNSS imaging infrared with automatic target recognition, it goes down to two metres CEP. Targeting can be either locked on before, or after, launch. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
13 Oct 21. US Army awaits acquisition strategy approval for extended-range cannon. The Army is still deciding on the acquisition strategy for its Extended Range Cannon Artillery, or ERCA, system, even as the service seeks initial fielding in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, according to Brig. Gen. John Rafferty. The Army just accepted its first two ERCA systems in a ceremony last month and will complete 16 more prototypes just like them over the next two years at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. These will go to a battalion that will subsequently perform a year-long operational assessment, Rafferty, who oversees Army long-range precision fires modernization, told Defense News in an interview ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference. The first production-representative ERCA systems are slated to be delivered to a battalion in FY25.
“Our acquisition strategy is working its way up the chain right now,” Rafferty said, “but we expect decisions to be made on that in probably the next three to four months — well, could be a little bit longer.”
The Army has decided the A7 version of the BAE Systems-manufactured M109 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) self-propelled howitzer will be the chassis for the ERCA system. The cannon was internally developed by the service.
ERCA “needs the performance, mobility and survivability improvements that come with the PIM chassis,” Rafferty said. “That’s going to be the basis for ERCA.”
PIM has reached full-rate production, and “it’s a really high performing program right now,” Rafferty said. “It’s modernized, it’s powerful, it’s reliable and it’s common, so the sustainment demand across a heavy division is minimized for an additive capability.”
The Army still hasn’t decided how to inject competition into the effort as BAE Systems will provide the chassis and the service integrated the internally developed cannon to create the first prototypes.
“The Army would always prefer to compete,” Rafferty said, noting the service is considering several approaches. “We’ve expected there would be some form of competition in this.”
The Army, earlier this month, released an announcement scheduling a tentative industry day on ERCA for Oct. 15. According to the announcement, the service intends to put out a request for prototype proposal for ERCA.
“The intent of this prototype project is to mature and validate the Technical Data Package (TDP) and installation instructions for an ERCA Self-Propelled Howitzer System,” the announcement states.
Under an Other Transaction Authority contract — which is designed for rapid prototyping efforts — the contractor would build an ERCA prototype vehicle to validate the TDP over an 18-month period.
One industry source likened the effort to IKEA instruction development. When a new piece of furniture is designed, someone has to try out the instructions for building it to see if they are clear enough.
“This is not a design effort,” the announcement stresses, “although the contractor will be expected to offer potential solutions or lessons learned as difficulties are encountered during the build process.”
When it comes to production, the Army has not decided on its strategy. The industry source said the service could decide to take fully built PIM systems off the production line and have the cannon builder or integrator break down the PIM system and rebuild it with the cannon.
But the source noted this approach likely adds risk and additional cost because the Army would pay for a full-up PIM, then pay for the process of taking it apart and adapting it.
Another option would be to have a contractor build the cannon system as a kit BAE could add into the PIM line, the source said. There could then be a fork in the PIM production line; some would veer off to become PIMs and others would become ERCA systems.
“We really haven’t seen the full acquisition plan from the Army yet,” Jim Miller, senior business development director at BAE Systems’ combat mission systems business, told Defense News.
As the Army weighs its production options, it still has a busy road ahead to get to initial fielding in 2023, Rafferty said. However, the ERCA cannon did reach its goal of hitting a 70-kilometer range in December 2020.
“We have a lot of hard work ahead of us,” Rafferty said. “The decision three years ago on the ERCA systems was to accept the risk of developing all these things concurrently, and that comes with the recognition that it’s always going to be hard.
The program previously experienced problems with a copper rotating band, which is on traditional artillery projectiles. The band works well in a 20-foot gun tube, Rafferty said, but 10 feet added to the tube caused excessive wear and resulted in some engraving on the side of the projectiles.
The Army is also working through barrel wear, propellant formulation and long-range precision guidance kits, Rafferty added.
“Our schedule to deliver the prototype battalion in ‘23 still looks pretty good,” Rafferty said, “but it’s going to be sleeves-rolled-up all the way through.” (Source: Defense News)
12 Oct 21. Lockheed plans to pitch air defense laser weapon in future Army competition. Lockheed Martin wants in on an upcoming U.S. Army competition for a laser weapon-equipped, short-range air defense system expected to kick off in fiscal 2023, according to Tyler Griffin, who is director of the company’s advanced product solutions strategy and business development. Taking its experience from other laser weapons programs — including an airborne laser weapon for the Air Force and a 300-kilowatt-class laser under development for the Army’s indirect fires protection capability, or IFPC, as part of a team with Dynetics — Lockheed is scaling its laser technology into what it’s calling DEIMOS. DEIMOS stands for Directed Energy Interceptor for Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense, and is also the name of the Greek god of dread and terror. Lockheed is unveiling DEIMOS at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference. DEIMOS is a 50-kilowatt-class laser weapon designed for integration onto a Stryker vehicle, much like the Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense, or DE M-SHORAD, prototypes the Army recently hired Kord Technologies to build. The KBR subsidiary won the contract in mid-2019. As the program’s prime contractor, Kord subsequently awarded subcontracts to Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Technologies to compete to supply the laser module. The competition was intended to culminate in a shoot-off between those companies’ respective teams. Kord and the Army would then agree on a winner and proceed with integration of the chosen laser module onto three more Strykers to make a platoon’s worth of directed energy-capable SHORAD systems.
But Northrop experienced problems with the power and thermal management system supplied by Kord when integrated with its system, and a fire broke out during testing late last year. Problems persisted into the new year, and Northrop dropped out before the demonstration.
The Raytheon team moved on to demonstrate its system, and the Army chose to go forward with those prototypes. The company received a $123 m contract to supply the laser weapon.
But after those prototypes are built, Lockheed believes the Army will reopen the competition because the system will be “critical” in future operations against prolific threats like unmanned aircraft systems.
“We anticipate that competition towards the back end of FY23 and the production program of record starting in 2024,” Griffin said ahead of the AUSA event.
“We are looking at focusing on affordability, and affordability is much more than cost,” Griffin added. “We understand the Army’s focus on cost per kill, however, and providing the best value for the war fighter.”
The company plans to reuse technology developed in other programs and also extend its offering to include Army radar components, he noted.
The company is also investing in infrastructure over the next several years to make manufacturing advancements and improve network integration, according to Griffin. The company is also using digital twin technology to design faster and to “innovate more efficiently than was ever previously possible.” Lockheed is also showcasing that technology at AUSA.
Lockheed believes that once the Army completes the first four DE M-SHORAD prototypes, the service’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office will have a set of documents containing the technical data package and overall threshold requirements, and will deliver that to Program Executive Office Missiles and Space, which will kick off a program of record and launch a competition for the capability.
That handoff is expected in FY23.
Lockheed also said the architecture of the thermal system used in the prototype program is not the same architecture used in the DEIMOS offering; it instead uses a similar architecture to what the company delivered for the Air Force’s Laser Advancements for Next-generation Compact Environments program, Griffin said.
The company plans to push out a virtual twin for DEIMOS in December and will demonstrate the capability in the field in 2022.
A Dynetics and Lockheed team should deliver an IFPC high-energy laser technology demonstrator in FY22, and then four prototypes are due at the end of FY24. (Source: Defense News)
13 Oct 21. Milipol 2021: IWI announces the launch of a new assault rifle in the ACE family – the ACE-N 52 – with an improved ergonomic design, suitable for standard NATO magazines. IWI – Israel Weapon Industries – a member of the SK Group (founded by Mr. Samy Katsav) a leader in producing combat-proven small arms for military forces, police units, law enforcement agencies and governmental entities around the world – is launching the new ACE-N 52 assault rifle. The latest model in the ACE family, the ACE-N 52 has an improved ergonomic design that is suitable for use with standard NATO (AR-10) magazines, including 7.62X51mm ammunition. Based on the reliable and proven mechanism of the famous GALIL assault rifle – which was the main assault rifle of the IDF – the ACE-N 52 has been designed specifically to enable forces to meet the challenges of the modern battlefield.
“As a leader in the field of small arms, IWI constantly continues to develop the most advanced products, according to the changing needs of its customers,” says Ronen Hamudot, Executive VP Marketing and Sales at SK Group and IWI. “In this way, the ACE-N 52, with its enhanced ergonomic features, meets the needs of the modern battlefield. An additional configuration of the ACE-N 52 has been adapted to the needs of the civilian market.”
The ACE-N 52 meets the standards of MIL SDT 810, and is able to withstand harsh weather and environmental conditions. With a foldable AR butt and adjustable cheek rest, the new weapon enables flexible operation and enhances mission accuracy. This highly versatile weapon also features a Picatinny rail, to adapt a wide range of equipment.
About the ACE family of assault rifles
With enhanced human engineering and ergonomics incorporated into its design, the ACE is an outstanding assault rifle. Able to achieve high accuracy and reliability under the most extreme conditions, it is well suited to the emerging unstable realities of modern combat. Deployed and proven worldwide, the ACE 5.56X45mm is compatible with a NATO-standard ammunition weapon. The ACE 7.62X39mm enables military forces around the world to replace their weapons with modern, innovative, high-performance models without changing their ammunition requirements. The ACE 7.62X51mm is a modern and reliable weapon, suitable for long-range targets in open and urban areas.
12 Oct 21. DSM to showcase high-performing, lightweight ballistic armor solutions made with Dyneema® at Milipol Paris 2021. Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, today announced participation at the leading event for homeland security and safety.
DSM, the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema®, will be exhibiting at booth 5 P 098 from October 19-22 during Milipol Paris 2021 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre in Paris, France.
The performance characteristics of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™, make it ideal for a variety of applications, including soft and hard armor ballistics to protect against today’s advanced and emerging threats. In addition, Dyneema® combines next-generation fiber technology and unidirectional engineering to deliver armor solutions with unmatched ballistic stopping power in a lightweight and flexible composite.
By implementing Dyneema®, body armor manufacturers are able to use less material in the development of their ballistic vests, plates and helmets. This leads to weight savings upwards of 30 percent when compared to competitive materials, without impacting ballistic performance. The lightweight construction of armor made with Dyneema® also mitigates injuries associated with the cumulative effects of daily armor use – while improving situational awareness, as well as cognitive and tactical performance.
While decreasing the load on the wearer, Dyneema® is simultaneously able to reduce the impact of material manufacturing on our planet. In line with DSM’s commitment to protect people and the environment they live in, we have developed the first-ever bio-based ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber and unidirectional (UD) material. Bio-based Dyneema® boasts the same exact performance as conventional Dyneema® with a carbon footprint that is 90 percent lower than generic HMPE.
“As the trend towards lightweight ballistic armor drives changes in the personal protection market, DSM continues to innovate Dyneema® to help protect the men and women responsible for keeping communities around the world safe,” states Marcelo van de Kamp, Global Business Director, Personal Protection of DSM. “We’re proud that our broad product portfolio of unidirectional material provides solutions that sustain both people and planet.”
Law enforcement, first responders and military service personnel risk their lives every day to keep communities around the world safe. Dyneema® is made to protect them while they protect us. Stop by booth 5 P 098 during Milipol Paris 2021 to learn more about the latest advancements in high-performing, lightweight ballistic armor solutions made with Dyneema®.
11 Oct 21. The Army’s M4, M16 and SAW replacement is on its way. Replacements for the M4 carbine, the M16 and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon are on track to be in production in about a year.
The Next Generation Squad Weapon rifle and automatic rifle are expected to be selected by mid-2022, Maj. Gen. Anthony Potts told Army Times before the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting.
It took a few years for the Army to decide on a caliber, but they ultimately chose the “intermediate” 6.8mm to replace the existing 5.56mm used in the M4, M16 and M249.
The 6.8mm is similar in size to the classic .270 caliber used in hunting and nearly the same dimensions as a popular intermediate caliber favored by the early 20th century Japanese military.
That caliber shows better performance, accuracy, lethality and control than the 5.56mm.
The 5.56mm has a lethal range of about 300 meters, versus 600 meters for the new 6.8mm.
“This is a weapon that could defeat any body armor, any planned body armor that we know of in the future,” then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said in 2019. “This is a weapon that can go out at ranges that are unknown today. There is a target acquisition system built into this thing that is unlike anything that exists today. This is a very sophisticated weapon.”
The three companies vying for the contract to supply a new weapon to the Army’s close combat forces, infantry, special operations forces, Marines and engineers are Sig Sauer, General Dynamics and Textron Systems.
Sig Sauer has built a weapon similar in style and feel to existing assault rifle configurations. Sig Sauer previously won the contract to replace the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps M9 pistol with the Modular Handgun System, or M17.
General Dynamics went with a bullpup design popular with some foreign militaries that puts the magazine well and feed behind the handgrip and trigger, keeping barrel length in a more compact package.
Textron Systems is relying on their caseless telescoped ammunition. It uses a polymer system where the bullet is encased, shortening the overall length but providing the same ballistic capabilities as standard brass casings at a reduced weight.
All three designs are suppressor capable.
Each of the manufacturers initially had to supply 53 rifles and 43 automatic rifles, as well as 850,000 rounds of ammunition, for testing.
Once selected, the winning company would be on an eight-year contract to produce roughly 120,000 total rifles and machine guns, according to budget documents. That would mean 40,000 in the initial batch at an estimated cost of $36 m.
Potts told Army Times that the soldier touch points and testing are complete and decision makers are now evaluating information gathered on all three company offerings.
These rifles will first field to special operations forces and infantry, Stryker and armor brigade combat teams.
The M4 and M16 will continue to be produced for non-close combat troops.
(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
11 Oct 21. BAE Systems Successfully Tests APKWS Laser-Guided Rockets Against Unmanned Aerial Systems. BAE Systems, Inc. has successfully tested APKWS® laser-guided rockets in precision strike tests against Class 2 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) at Yuma Proving Grounds. The 2.75” test rockets combined standard M151 warheads and Mk66 motors with APKWS precision guidance kits and a newly developed proximity fuze – enabling them to engage and destroy airborne drones at a fraction of the cost of traditional counter-UAS (C-UAS) strike capabilities.
“Unmanned Aerial Vehicles of all sizes are a growing threat increasingly deployed by adversaries around the globe,” said Greg Procopio, director of Precision Guidance and Sensing Systems at BAE Systems. “The flexibility and affordability of APKWS rockets make them a good choice for taking out small, tactical military drones. Our successful test strikes demonstrate the creativity of our engineers and an innovative and economical use of existing DoD materiel to address an emerging threat.”
BAE Systems conducted test fires and engineering tests to develop a capable system for U.S. armed forces and allies. The key to APKWS rockets’ counter-UAS capability is the innovative proximity fuze jointly developed by L3Harris Technologies and Technology Service Corporation. The fuze combines target proximity detection and point detonation capabilities, and is a drop-in replacement for existing M423 fuzes – allowing APKWS rockets to destroy UASs without the need for a direct hit.
Unlike expensive C-UAS missiles, APKWS rockets do not need to lock on the target before launch, instead relying on semi-active laser guidance optics that activate on launch, saving warfighters precious seconds when it counts.
APKWS guidance kits transform unguided rockets into precision-guided munitions with explosive effects and range capabilities that make them well-suited for today’s dynamic military engagements. APKWS rockets have proven combat capabilities and the flexibility to strike a variety of stationary and moving targets from planes, helicopters, ground vehicles, boats, and remote weapon stations. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
08 Oct 21. Global Ordnance and Yugo Successfully complete 155mm Mobile Howitzer “Shoot Off.” Global Ordnance, LLC (GO) and manufacturer Yugoimport SDPR J.P. (Yugo) of Serbia, completed a successful testing by the U.S. Army of the NORA B-52 M21 155 mm Mobile Howitzer System at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), Yuma, AZ on 3 September 2021 after months of rigorous evaluation. An upgraded version of Yugo’s NORA system participated in the United States Army “shoot off” evaluation of mobile 155mm howitzers to determine which systems best fit the Army’s needs. The NORA was put through variety of prioritized tasks designed to test and push the limits of the system.
Yugo’s NORA B-52 M21 is the latest version of the NORA system which received a chassis upgrade along with updates to the fully automatic loading system for compatibility with U.S. Army MACS propellant charges. Yugo design engineers participated in the testing to learn what upgrades would be most needed by U.S. Army artillery crews. Upgrades from feedback during testing are already being designed to meet the mobile artillery needs of the U.S. Army. The NORA B-52 M21 system will be on display at the annual AUSA Exposition in Washington, DC. Oct 11-13.
Both GO and Yugo were pleased with the overall performance of the system and believe the NORA B-52 M21 would be a potent option for the U.S. Army. Marc Morales, President of Global Ordnance, LLC, expressed his excitement after the test.
“The NORA system showed great capability even in extremely challenging Arizona desert conditions during the hottest part of the summer. We drew a difficult time period to show what the system could do, and it knocked it out of the park. The Yugo team provided exceptional support, successfully demonstrated the NORA’s flexibility and performance, and went above and beyond to show Yugo’s commitment to delivering an exceptional product. This is a formidable team and weapon system.” – Marc Morales, President
With the shoot off completed, the U.S. Army is evaluating the test data to determine the optimal road ahead to modernize Army mobile artillery.
GO is very thankful to Yugoimport for their dedication and commitment for their team of engineers, mechanics and crew that supported the U.S. Army testing. Our combined team displayed our responsive and agile support during the testing at YPG. (Source: PR Newswire)
14 Oct 21. Philippine Navy frigates receive air defence missiles. The Philippine Navy has received an undisclosed number of MBDA Mistral 3 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) to arm its two new 2,600 tonne Jose Rizal-class guided-missile frigates, BRP José Rizal (FF 150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF 151), state media reported on 11 October.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Ramon Zagala told government outlet Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the new missiles, which are acquired under the AFP’s Frigate Acquisition Project Lot 2B effort, “will give the Philippine Navy a much-needed defensive capability against hostile air targets”.
“[The Mistral 3] is a cost-effective and a reliable addition to a layered defence system”, Colonel Zagala noted.
The Mistral 3 is an infrared-homing system with a range of at least 7 km, with the manufacturer claiming a 97% proven success rate and higher reliability than comparable low-level air defence missiles.
Each frigate is equipped with two SIMBAD-RC SAM launcher turrets, with one each located on the port and starboard sides. These turrets are interfaced to the vessel’s combat system and can be operated with a single dedicated terminal.
Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in South Korea, the 107 m-long frigates are based on the company’s HDF-3000 platform design, which in itself is a smaller version of the Incheon (FFX-I)-class frigate in service with the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN). Both vessels were ordered by Manila under a US315 m contract in 2016, with an additional US$39 m earmarked for weapon systems and munitions.
Both vessels will be armed with LIG Nex1’s SSM-700K C-Star anti-ship missiles with delivery in March 2022.
The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) announced on 10 August that it had also selected LIG Nex1 to supply an undisclosed number of torpedoes worth around US$15 m. These will be used to arm the vessels’ two triple 324 mm torpedo launchers and complement the embarked anti-submarine warfare (ASW)-optimised Leonardo AW159 Lynx Wildcat helicopters. Both ship- and helicopter-launched torpedoes will reportedly be the company’s K745 Blue Shark lightweight torpedoes. The navy commissioned lead frigate, José Rizal, in July 2020, while the second, Antonio Luna, entered service in March 2021. (Source: AMR)
14 Oct 21. China’s GJ-11 Stealth Drone Displays Precision Weapons at Airshow China 2021. China’s GJ-11 stealth armed reconnaissance drone will open its weapons bays for the first time and display its capability to carry a large amounts of precision weapons at the Airshow China 2021 in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province. Experts said that the drone will likely carry multiple types of precision ammunitions, including larger ones that were not on display at the air show. In the exhibition hall of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), scale models of the “20” aircraft family, including the J-20 stealth fighter jet, the Y-20 large transport aircraft and the Z-20 utility helicopter, will be displayed on a giant rotary table in the center, together with the model of a GJ-11 stealth armed reconnaissance drone. During a preview visit to the exhibition shortly prior to its opening on Tuesday, the Global Times saw the model of the GJ-11 with its weapons bays open. According to the official model displayed by AVIC, the aircraft’s maker, the GJ-11 has two weapons bays, symmetrically positioned between the drone’s three landing gears. Each bay has four ammunitions which look like guided precision air-to-ground glide bombs. This is the first time details on the GJ-11’s weapons bays and its payload capability have been revealed to the general public since the first public appearance of the drone at the National Day military parade on October 1, 2019 in Beijing, observers said. In the works since 2013, this UAV is powered by a single turbofan engine and boasts a massive wingspan of 46 feet (14 m). While details of the drone are largely unknown, it is believed that the drone has a range of 2,485 miles (4,000 km) and a top speed of 621 mph (1,000 kph), and above all, stealth capabilities. The GJ-11 also belongs to the “20” aircraft family and it is one of the most advanced stealth attack drones, Zhang Xuefeng, a Chinese military expert, told the Global.The aircraft uses a flying wing design with high stealth capability and has high subsonic cruise efficiency. Despite a small body, it has a long range, Zhang said. In a mission, the GJ-11 can likely carry multiple types of precision ammunitions, including larger ones that will not be on display at the air show, Zhang predicted. With the flying wing design similar to the US’ B-2 strategic bomber, the drone has strong stealth capabilities, enabling it to sneak deep into enemy territory and launch strikes with weapons hidden in its weapons bays over key hostile targets, military analysts said when it was first revealed. Also on display at the Airshow were promotional videos of the GJ-11’s capabilities from its maker, the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group. As shown in this clip, the GJ-11 drones are capable of taking flight from amphibious assault ships, and when closer to the target could also deploy decoys instead of firing ammunition. Although the drone is big, it could possibly not carry enough firepower to take down an enemy ship and therefore, could be tasked to constrain the resources of the ship. (Source: UAS VISION/The Global Times; Interesting Engineering)
08 Oct 21. After delay, Joint Air-to-Ground Missile full-rate production decision now due in mid-2022. failed to achieve desired lethal effects on a maritime target, the U.S. Army and Marine Corps had to delay fielding of the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile. But now a full-rate production decision is expected in summer 2022, according to Maj. Gen. Robert Rasch, the Army’s program executive officer for missiles and space. The JAGM replaces the legacy Lockheed Martin-made Hellfire missile used across the services. However, the new weapon encountered problems during testing when it was fired from the Army’s AH-64E Apache and the Marine Corps’ AH-1Z Viper helicopters. The new munition features a dual-mode seeker and guidance system mated to a Hellfire missile.
Prior to 2018, the Army experienced several failures during live-fire testing from an AH-64E Apache, including seeing the missile miss two targets. And during a major test event, one of the four launches with a live warhead failed to detonate. The Apache’s targeting site and fire control radar also passed “erroneous target velocities” to the missile, according to test reports.
The Army was able to resolve those problems in subsequent testing and evaluation.
But the Marine Corps struggled with JAGM on Viper during an initial operational test and evaluation at Fort Hood, Texas, and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in mid-2019.
The Marines fired two shots, both of which did not hit boat targets at the center of the vessel, but rather striking more toward the back.
The service had planned to tweak missile software to improve results, but its initial operational test and evaluation, which was originally planned to take place in the second quarter of fiscal 2020, was delayed without indication of when a new testing event would take place.
While the Army was able to conduct its onboard platform software to improve its issues, and the Marine Corps had a similar approach, it “just took longer, the way their dollars flowed and how much money they could put at the problem at the time,” Rasch told Defense News in an interview ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual show held in Washington, D.C.
The plan was to make a full-rate production decision about a year ago, he added, “but we needed to give them more time to complete the platform integration with the missile.”
The Army has made no modifications to the missile since it completed its integration with the Apache.
The Marines are expected to go out to the range to run its final tests on Viper in early 2022. If all goes well, the services can move into full-rate production, Rasch said.
The Army was “ready to go last time,” Rasch noted, but because the requirements documents said JAGM must work from both platforms to move into full-rate production, the service took a pause.
The delay has not affected the program overall, Rasch said.
“The Army has to make tough decisions every year from a budgetary perspective,” he explained. “We had anticipated kind of doing a slower ramp all along.”
The Army is still producing JAGMs at the minimum sustainment rate, Rasch noted. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
11 Oct 21. US Army closes in on replacement for Patriot air defense system. The U.S. Army has been working toward a replacement for its Raytheon-made Patriot air and missile defense system for well over a decade, but it is closing in on bringing some key capabilities of its future system to bear in 2022. The linchpin of the Army’s future Integrated Air and Missile Defense system — the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System, or IBCS — will complete its critical initial operational test and evaluation in 2022. IBCS has cost the Army more than $2.7bn to develop. The system struggled in a 2016 limited-user test, and the program experienced a four-year delay but showed drastic improvement in several soldier checkouts and other test events over the past few years as well as a new limited-user test in the summer of 2020. Armed with data from the test and evaluation process, the service will be able to make a full-rate production capability decision in fiscal 2023, Maj. Gen. Robert Rasch, the Army’s program executive officer for missiles and space, told Defense News in an interview before the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual exhibition. At the same time, the Army will receive the first prototypes of a new radar for the Integrated Air and Missile Defense system in 2022 in order to reach its fielding goal by the end of calendar year 2023, Rasch said. The initial operational test and evaluation, or IOT&E, process for IBCS is kicking off this month following the limited-user test last year, Rasch added.
“We’re confident that we had a great limited-user test last year. We ran the system out really in all the same environments that we’re taking in under IOT&E,” Rasch said, “and we’ve had a year to grow and learn from that and, quite frankly, doing a test like that [during the COVID-19 pandemic], a new system with all the simulation requirements to set up the infrastructure in a COVID environment, as we did last summer, and pull that off, not just from a systemwide perspective, but executing that event in a pretty austere environment, helped us a lot.”
The IOT&E is expected to wrap up at the end of February 2022. After the data undergoes analysis, the Army will get an initial operational capability decision, Rasch noted.
The service is currently working to award the low-rate initial production contract to IBCS-developer Northrop Grumman after reaching a favorable production decision in January 2021.
Meanwhile, Raytheon Technologies has been building and testing the Army’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor radars since winning the contract in October 2019. The contract is worth roughly $384m to deliver six production-representative units of the LTAMDS. The Army is working to rapidly deliver initial capability under an urgent materiel release.
“The first ones we procured are still in testing now,” Rasch said.
Once the Army receives the radars in the second quarter of 2022, “from that point in time, we’ll start doing all of the developmental testing. First, verification that the system does everything it’s supposed to do based upon the contract, and then start moving to do all the developmental testing ramping up to the flight testing activities,” Rasch said.
“We are absolutely still on schedule to meet” the December 2023 timeline to deliver the urgent requirement, he said.
Replacing the Patriot radar has been a long time coming. The radar was first fielded in the 1980s, and the Army previously attempted to replace the system with Lockheed Martin’s Medium Extended Air Defense System through an international co-development effort with Germany and Italy. But that program was canceled in the U.S. after closing out a proof-of-concept phase nearly a decade ago.
The Army opted to compete for different parts of an integrated system. The plan for a future interceptor and launcher to replace the Patriot family of missiles are decisions to be made later on, Rasch said.
“As those requirements start forming up, we’ll certainly participate in that and get the [analysis of alternatives] started,” he said. “There’s a lot of things on the plate right now with regard to air and missile defense; this is certainly going to be one of them. We just have to make sure we get the timing right, get the requirements as close as we can based upon the threat evolution as it occurs, and then make sure we’ve got a good resourcing and acquisition plan lined up on that — so more to come.” (Source: Defense News)
12 Oct 21. Rheinmetall and UVision sign strategic partnership agreement for loitering munitions – targeting a leading position as a full solution provider in Europe. Rheinmetall and UVision Air Ltd. have today signed a strategic partnering agreement for loitering munitions. The agreement leverages both companies’ capabilities to provide the European market with precise, combat-proven weapon systems. The Hero family of loitering munitions will be available to European customers to satisfy contemporary and emerging operational requirements. Through this partnership, Rheinmetall and UVision will offer end-to-end solutions for loitering munitions to the armed forces of Europe. Rheinmetall will take the industrial, technological and commercial lead for enhancing the capabilities of the weapon system; UVision will make available the Hero loitering munitions, based on in-depth technological expertise and operational experience. The parties plan to integrate the combat-proven Hero series into Rheinmetall’s portfolio of manned and unmanned vehicle platforms, launchers, battle management systems and armoured vehicles like the Lynx. The Hero family of loitering munitions comprises several models. Designed for different missions, from short to medium and long ranges and flight times using various warheads, the Hero series of high-precision loitering munitions provides operational forces with combined intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and strike capabilities, allowing them to independently locate, track and engage time-sensitive, low-signature targets. These advanced munitions can loiter in the air in a clandestine manner for an extended period of time; locate and track the enemy; help to validate targets; and carry out a precise strike. The Hero system can abort an attack in mid-air; re-enter loitering mode; and then resume the attack, or re-assign targets, thus minimizing collateral damage and providing operational forces with unsurpassed tactical flexibility on the modern battlefield.
“Entering the market for loitering munitions is an important strategic step for us”, notes Dr Alexander Sagel, head of Rheinmetall’s Division Weapon and Ammunition. “In doing so, we are systematically pivoting to meet changing customer requirements and growing market demand. We aspire to provide our customers with high-tech solutions. Together with UVision, we will be offering products made in Europe for the European market to address growing European demand. With this partnership we aim to occupy the leading position in Europe. Building on our mutually reinforcing capabilities, we will also establish a strong foundation for developing new products together.”
For Major General (ret.) Avi Mizrachi, UVision’s CEO, “Teaming up with Rheinmetall is a major step for UVision, which is designed to provide our operational customers with advanced technological overmatch advantages, along with quick support and training capabilities in Europe. By integrating our loitering munitions into Rheinmetall’s vast portfolio of munitions, warheads, combat platforms and battle management systems already used by leading military forces, we can now offer European and other allied armed forces a much broader and more complete set of solutions for their defence needs”.
11 Oct 21. DIN calls for capability statements on Disruptive Weapon Effects. On behalf of DST Group the Sydney based Defence Innovation Network (DIN) is calling for capability statements from universities and industry SMEs to help Defence counter a new wave of emerging challenges. The capability statements will help address a key DST Group STaR Shot, Disruptive Weapon Effects, by enabling complex and agile operations in contested environments. Responses are due on 8 November 2021.
DST Group is looking for researchers and companies working in the areas of AI, robotics and autonomy, sensing, navigation and control, teaming, advanced propulsion systems, advanced material and energetics. The emergence of new advanced and unconventional weapons is transforming the battlefield. The introduction of novel approaches to applying kinetic and non-kinetic effects, and the progress made in AI-enabled technologies create new risks and challenges.
To address the impact of these emerging and disruptive technologies and counter the threat, DST Group requires input from multiple disciplines and a range of skills and expertise in system design and integration, and in modelling, simulation and testing.
To support this challenge, the DIN is calling for capability statements from Australian universities, SMEs and publicly funded research organisations covering the following areas:
- Sensors and Fusion— Novel sensor technologies; multi-mode sensors; distributed and coordinated sensing; sensor-data fusion and processing.
- Power, Energy and Propulsion– Advanced materials and manufacturing methods to improve performance and reduce size, weight and power needs of weapons systems; collect, store and employ energy in efficient ways to maximize performance or endurance; small-sized, thrust-on-demand propulsion concepts, high performance energetic material.
- Systems Guidance, Navigation and Control— Cognitive and visual navigation; distributed control, dynamic task allocation, path planning and trajectory optimisation.
- Teaming, Swarming and Collaborative tactics– Cooperative, coordinated and collaborative behaviour; group formation and swarm control; reasoning under uncertainty and learning; synthetic environment for modelling and testing of algorithms; ethical and trustworthy systems.
- Systems and sub-systems engineering– Modular concept design, adaptive and rapidly re-configurable platforms, plug and play modules, miniaturised components and sub-systems, remotely deployable platforms.
These capability statements will be used to inform DSTG about the core capabilities residing in Australia, which can be leveraged to support the “More, Together: Defence Science and Technology Strategy 2030”, and, in particular, the STaR Shot focused on “Disruptive Weapon Effects” (DWE).
Many organisations may have significant capabilities spanning more than one area of interest, says DST Group. So, in order to identify the most relevant universities/industry organisations, it asks that within individual organisations submissions are coordinated, prioritised and consolidated: if an organisation wishes to propose capability in more than one area of interest, DST Group wants separate capability statements specific to the area of interest, to a maximum of three capability statements.
Following receipt and analysis of the capability statements, DIN (in conjunction with the DWE STaR Shot Lead) will use this information to guide future engagement with the most relevant elements of the Australian innovation ecosystem.
Responses are due on 8 November 2021.
To learn more about the Disruptive Weapon Effects STaR Shot and how you can be involved, the DIN is organising an information session on Tuesday, 19 October 2021 at 10.00 -11.00 AM with STaR Shot Leader Nathalie Colineau.
Please register your intent to attend this forum here.: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/dstg-dwe-capability-call-info-session-tickets-186332955887 (Source: Rumour Control)
08 Oct 21. Lockheed Martin completes factory acceptance testing for AHEL. The contract to integrate, test, and demonstrate AHEL laser on the AC-130J aircraft was awarded in January 2019. Lockheed Martin has delivered its airborne high energy laser (AHEL) system to the US Air Force (USAF) for testing on an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. The delivery follows the completion of the system’s factory acceptance testing. The AHEL will now be prepared to undergo ground testing and flight testing on board the aircraft. It will be integrated with other systems. Lockheed Martin Advanced Product Solutions vice-president Rick Cordaro said: “Completion of this milestone is a tremendous accomplishment for our customer.
“These mission success milestones are a testament of our partnership with the US Air Force in rapidly achieving important advances in laser weapon system development.
“Our technology is ready for fielding today.”
Lockheed Martin received a contract in January 2019 to integrate, test, and demonstrate AHEL laser on the AC-130J aircraft. The company is now on a quick schedule to continue testing this capability. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
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Arnold Defense has manufactured more than 1.25 m 2.75-inch rocket launchers since 1961 for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and many NATO customers. They are the world’s largest supplier of rocket launchers for military aircraft, vessels and vehicles. Core products include the 7-round M260 and 19-round M261 commonly used by helicopters; the thermal coated 7-round LAU-68 variants and LAU-61 Digital Rocket Launcher used by the U.S. Navy and Marines; and the 7-round LAU-131 and SUU-25 flare dispenser used by the U.S. Air Force and worldwide.
Today’s rocket launchers now include the ultra-light LWL-12 that weighs just over 60 pounds (27 kg.) empty and the new Fletcher (4) round launcher. Arnold Defense designs and manufactures various rocket launchers that can be customized for any capacity or form factor for platforms in the air, on the ground or even at sea.
Arnold Defense maintains the highest standards of production quality by using extensive testing, calibration and inspection processes.
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